Jimmy Carter Banned Iranians from Entering the U.S. — Guess He Was Disqualified for President Just Like Trump?

Ever since Trump called for the shutting down of Muslims entering the U.S. until the government can figure out what is going on in the wake of the San Bernardino shooting, the attacks in Paris, and the burgeoning Syrian conflict, he has been called everything in the press from a racist Islamophobe to worse than Voldemort, the villain the Harry Potter series.

In a nearly unprecedented fashion, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest inserted the Obama Administration into the presidential race by directly responding to Trump’s comments:

“The fact is the first thing a President does when he or she takes the oath of office is to swear an oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. And the fact is that what Donald Trump said yesterday disqualifies him from serving as President.”

Guess that means former President Jimmy Carter is also disqualified as well, because back in 1980, he cut ties with Iran and banned all Iranians from coming into the U.S. period.

During the Iranian hostage crisis, President Carter broke diplomatic relations with Iran, forced all Iranian diplomats and officials to leave the U.S. by midnight of the day the order was issued, cut all remaining trade between the U.S. and Iran, and invalidated all Iranian visas, only issuing new ones or renewing old ones for “unusual circumstances”.

The Secretary of Treasury [State] and the Attorney General will invalidate all visas issued to Iranian citizens for future entry into the United States, effective today. We will not reissue visas, nor will we issue new visas, except for compelling and proven humanitarian reasons or where the national interest of our own country requires. This directive will be interpreted very strictly.

…and

The steps I have ordered today are those that are necessary now. Other action may become necessary if these steps do not produce the prompt release of the hostages.

Carter orders 50,000 Iranian students in US to report to immigration office with view to deporting those in violation of their visas. On 27 December 1979, US appeals court allows deportation of Iranian students found in violation.

In November 1979, the Attorney General had given all Iranian students one month to report to the local immigration office. Around 7,000 were found in violation of their visas. Around 15,000 Iranians were forced to leave the US.

So no, it isn’t unprecedented for a president to ban Muslims from entering the U.S.

Some will argue that Carter banned a country and Trump is “banning a religion,” but the intention is similar either way. Actually, Trump is suggesting a better vetting process; Carter just said no Iranians period.

Funny, if Trump is such a horrifying racist monster for making the comment, why are his poll numbers continuing to surge?